Are There Different Types of Boilers? Which One is Best for You?

Boiler Types

If you want to choose the best type of boiler for your home or office, you need to consider several factors. The purpose of this article is to outline these parameters and explain the differences between boiler types in order to help you make an informed decision about the type of boiler that is right for you. There are several aspects to be considered when selecting a type of boiler.

Many factors need to be considered, however, the most important ones include what kind of house it is, how many bathrooms there are, and how strong the water pressure is. There are many factors to consider when it comes to choosing a type of boiler and the effectiveness is also dependent on which type you select. Our short guide will familiarize you with the different types of boilers. 

Are you ready to discover which type of boiler is right for you?

Various types of Boilers

With the multitude of boiler types on the market, deciding which one to use or buy that suits your needs can be overwhelming. To make it easier for you to choose, we've gathered the pros and cons of each type of boiler:

Combi Boilers

Most homes now use a combi boiler, which is among the most cost-effective boilers. Because they can both heat and cool water, they're perfect for eco-friendly homeowners trying to conserve energy. As opposed to a traditional system boiler that holds hot water in a hot water tank before use, this one uses hot water on demand.

It saves you space in your home by removing the need for a hot water tank, and reduces installation time since there's no need for a cylinder in the airing cupboard or water tank.

Furthermore, they are usually rated as one of the most efficient types of new boiler available on the market. Providing significant savings on your heating bills and saving space, is why they have become such a popular option for UK homeowners.

In addition to their many advantages for homeowners, combination boiler offer the following benefits:

Combi Boiler Advantages:

• Sensitive to temperature changes and tap usage
• Heat and hot water are available immediately
• Smaller spaces call for compact models
• Maintainability - The boiler manufacturer will provide you with a warranty and guarantee for the central heating and hot water functions
• Pump-free, powerful showers

Combi Boiler Disadvantages:

• If your property has a low flow rate or low water pressure, it will not work well
• In houses with more than one shower, a reduction in hot water flow rates occurs when hot water is provided to more than one outlet simultaneously.
• Suitable for smaller houses but not for larger ones

System Boilers

A system boiler is ideal for homes with multiple bathrooms. A hot water cylinder is required, but no tank is necessary, which means your boiler installation will be relatively fast because many of the main components are already included.

There is no need for header tanks with the pump and expansion vessel integrated. System boilers don't require a tank, so homeowners don't have to worry about leaks or freezing. They are also easy to maintain since there is no tank to hold water. 

System Boiler Advantages:

• Cost-effective operation
• The unvented tank is ideal for properties with high hot water flows, such as multi-shower properties.
• The warranty/guarantee program works well as most components of the boiler are integrated with it
• Designed to save space and be compact
• Energy-efficient option suitable for solar thermal systems

System Boiler Disdavantages:

• Should hot water run out, you will need to wait to reheat
• The cylinder needs to be placed somewhere
• Water consumption depends on the size of the tank
• In order to prevent heat loss, insulation is necessary

Heat Only Boiler

Boilers that only provide heating are called heat-only boilers.  Heat-only boilers store hot water in cylinders, while the boiler sources heat directly through radiators. Open-ventilated heating systems are often used by them. The term conventional boiler is also used to describe heat-only boilers. Despite their lack of space-saving appeal, conventional boilers have the capacity to provide large amounts of hot water to several bathrooms, which is why they are the most suitable choice for homes with several bathrooms. 

Heat Only Boiler Advantages:

• Old radiators are compatible with this product. When the system or combi boilers deliver high water pressures, older radiator systems may leak.
• The cheapest boilers to purchase are heat-only boilers since the replacement cost of a heat-only boiler is low

Heat Only Boiler Disadvantages:

• Manufacturers' warranties only cover the boiler. This leaves the system with a lot of other parts that are prone to failure and replacement.
• There may be a delay in obtaining warm water when you need it
• Costs and complications can increase during installation 

Which boiler is best for me?

Purchasing a new heating system involves considering each homes unique heating needs. Boilers also have their peculiarities. For properties with multiple bathrooms, tank-based (Heat-only, system) home boilers are recommended, with combi boilers being appropriate for small houses that have only one bathroom.

Use open vented, heat-only boilers if there are buried radiators or pipework. If your budget is tight, you may opt for the same type of boiler at the same location. Installing a combi boiler will provide low maintenance costs due to its 10-year warranty/guarantee from the manufacturer. When choosing what type of boiler to use, consider these factors. 

Having learned about the different types of boilers, you can match them with your requirements and go ahead and buy one. 

At ATG, everything will be taken care of for you so that you can enjoy an energy-efficient, cost-effective heating system.